UK's Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who spent more than three weeks out of action after testing positive for coronavirus, is expected to resume his duties from Monday, April 27.
Johnson's return would be a "boost for the country", Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who has been standing in for the Prime Minister in his absence, said on a BBC interview. Johnson is "raring to go", he added.
Johnson spent a week in hospital including three days in intensive care
Asked whether he had enjoyed the experience of temporarily running the country, he said this "did not do justice" to the task he had been faced with and his thoughts throughout had been with Johnson and his family, "particularly when we knew it was touch and go".
Johnson, who spent a week in hospital including three days in intensive care and was then convalescing at the Prime Minister's country estate, Chequers, was not doing any work on medical advice. However, last week he spoke to the Queen and US President Donald Trump, and also met senior ministers to discuss the next stage of the UK's response to the pandemic.
A source close to the Prime Minister told the Daily Mail: "It will be a while before he is working 14-hour days again." Johnson has not been in constant contact with the public during his recovery, nor has he been in charge of decision making.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Johnson was "definitely on the mend in a big way". Johnson prepared for his return with a three-hour summit meeting on Friday with Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who has been deputising for him, and Chancellor Rishi Sunak.
His return to No 10 on a part-time basis initially, will come amid growing pressure from senior Conservatives to begin easing lockdown and growing dismay at the damage it was causing to the economy, said the Metro newspaper report. Newly-elected Labour leader Keir Starmer also added to the pressure by stepping up his calls for Ministers to set out an "exit strategy" for lifting the restrictions once it was safe to do so.
In a letter to Johnson, Starmer said it was essential Ministers learned the lessons from the mistakes made dealing with the crisis. However, scientists advising the Government on its response warned it was far too soon to consider any relaxation, as the official death toll for the UK has increased to 20,381, with a total of 149,569 cases.
